Attraction
by Ferrousity
Summary: Childhood rivals Ino and Sakura are stuck together on their Jounin promotional mission, much to both of their chagrin. When the simple headhunt becomes far more, the two are thrust into a complicated conflict that will force them both to grow, and understand the strength and maturity needed to be a Jounin. Shoujo-Ai, with some dashes of humor and drama.
1. Planting the Seed

**This is one of my two in-progress Sakura x Ino fics, the other one only has the first chapter written and probbly won't be up for a bit :c Anywho, this is Attraction, and I hope that you like it! Reviews are appreciated:)**

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><p>Under the harsh heat of Konohagakure's afternoon sun, a pair of childhood friends were sheltered by the canopy covering the popular local ramen shop, Ichiraku. One of them was rubbing a sore spot on the back of his head, shooting a glare at his assailant. The offender only returned the look, cerulean eyes shining with indignation.<p>

"You know damn well that you deserved that!" She growled, ready to reprimand her old teammate for whatever smartass comment he was preparing. The male only sighed, muttering something about "troublesome blondes" before shaking his head.

"All I'm saying, little miss Ino, is that you bitched at me for not having any ambition. And not only was I the only one who made Chuunin in our year, but my lazy ass is apparently under consideration for the ANBU Cryptology department." He paused a moment, letting his words sink in. "And yet somehow, you're just now being assigned your promotional mission to qualify for Jounin. Isn't life funny?"

He never saw the hit coming.

Well, he might've. It still hurt like hell.

"Gah. Troublesome, violent blondes." Seemingly satisfied with what would most certainly be a sizeable bruise on the smartass's head, Ino grinned at him. "Keep talking, Shika. I can do this all day." Shikamaru only rolled his eyes in response, returning to the meal in front of him. Ino gradually did the same, feeling herself become lost in thought as she stared into the steaming bowl of soup. Little did Shikamaru know, his jest had cut deeper than he thought. Not because she was trying to outdo him, oh no. Rather, Ino had lately been experiencing increasing feelings of inadequacy to her eternal rival, Haruno Sakura.

The blonde thought back to the simpler days, when she and Sakura fought endlessly over the lone Uchiha survivor. He had been the catalyst that had turned their friendship into a rivalry of the highest extremes. From that point on, they competed in nearly everything. Sometimes, Ino found herself wondering why. She supposed it was healthy competition. After Sasuke had left, however, things changed. It became clear that without Sasuke to fight over, the rest of their petty squabbles seemed to fade with him. It was as if he was the stitch, that once unraveled, dissolved the entire garment.

_'And yet...' _The Yamanaka's thoughts grew distressed. She remembered clearly their promise to eachother the day they had become Genin.

_Two young girls, a blonde and pinkette were grinning at eachother victoriously, proudly brandishing their new forehead protectors. Their fellow Genin were scattered about the academy yard, eagerly talking about all the things they were going to do now that they were official Konoha shinobi._

_"Hey forehead." The blonde taunted playfully, fastening her forehead protector in place. The other girl did the same, glaring back at her._

_"What's up, piggy?" She countered._

_"I bet you that I'll beat you to Chuunin." The familiar flames of rivalry sparked in both of their eyes, and Sakura's smile was downright challenging._

_"You're on!"However, Ino held up her hand, signaling that she wasn't done. Reaching to into the pocket of her purple garb, she produced two identical red ribbons and held one out to her friend._

_"Remember how Iruka-sensei said that our headbands meant that we were equals?" The young Yamanaka waited for Sakura to nod before continuing."Well, it's kind of like that. Watch." The pink-haired girl watched her childhood friend lift the left side of her skirt suggestively, and flushed a horrendously bright shade of red._

_"Ino, what the hell are-"_

_"God, shut up and let me finish", the other girl interrupted. She tied the ribbon around her upper thigh, then returned her gaze to Sakura. "These ribbons are a promise; a symbol of our rivalry. As long as I wear this ribbon, Forehead, I will never stop working to become stronger, prettier, and better than you." She winked, before adding with a teasing smile, "Not that I'm not already"._

_The knot that held Sakura's headband slowly came undone, as the owner removed it. No way was she going to put hers where Ino did. Sakura slipped the silk ribbon around her forehead, before placing her headband back on, covering it. Ino grinned, and stuck out her little finger._

_"Then it's settled. We'll wear these for as long as we consider the other our equal."_

_Their pinkies met._

Ino almost chuckled at the memory. She never would've thought that they'd end up knocking eachother out in the Chuunin exams, only to both be promoted simultaneously the following year.

_The two rivals sat on a bench together at a dango shop, enjoying their treats. And once again, their relationship had changed. Without Sasuke to fight over, the two had begun to rekindle their deep friendship from when they were children. Talking animatedly, they swapped combat stories about their recent fights with Kakuzu and Sasori, two dangerous members of the Akatsuki. As Ino listened to Sakura describe her fight against the puppeteer, she began to feel jealous. Though they'd been equals for their entire lives, the gap between them was becoming clear. Under Tsunade's tutelage, Sakura had become ridiculously strong. Combined with her sharp intellect, her growth had been exponential. Subconsciously, she glanced at the medic's forehead protector._

_Sure, Ino had improved too. A lot, in fact. Still, she couldn't help but feel inferior as she pictured Sakura rending the ground itself apart with just a punch. As the days passed, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind only grew stronger, as she began to feel like she was falling helplessly behind. For years, she had prided herself not only on her talents as a Kunoichi, but as one who could keep pace with her rival. Had that time really passed already?_

_Blinking, Ino was shocked to feel the damp tickle of a small tear slide down her porcelain cheek, falling listlessly into her forgotten meal. She was even more surprised to find herself growing angry._

_'It's not fair! We've always been equals! I work just as hard as her, so why the can't I seem to keep up?' She couldn't even bear to think about their sparring match a month. It was almost as if she was fighting an entirely different Sakura. Their skill levels were so radically different, they may has well have been in two entirely different leagues. Ino had actually stopped the bout, embarrassedly giving an excuse of menstrual cramps before leaving quickly. That night, she'd gone to the training field to get some air, and clear her mind. It was then that a realization so painful had struck her, that she'd crumpled to the ground and cried. 'She doesn't need me anymore...' The blonde thought bitterly. Sakura had long since declared her moving on from Sasuke, effectively cutting off Ino's role as a source of comfort. (Ino herself had cursed his name the day that Chouji had come back from the retrieval mission. Rather, the day he almost didn't come back.) And now, being so much weaker than the other young woman, she had no use as a rival. After all, how could you call yourself someone's rival, if you couldn't compete with them? She no longer had anything left to offer._

She hadn't spoken to her old friend since, avoiding her whenever she'd catch a glimpse of pink in the crowd. Ino had made a dramatic decision: She wouldn't allow herself to be Sakura's friend until she was once again her equal. And if she couldn't do that, then she wasn't worthy to call herself Sakura's friend, or rival. That vow had lead to her rigorous training the last few weeks, and Shikamaru's subsequent offer to treat her to lunch as a reward for her hard work. The Nara in question had noticed his friend's silence, and had begun to look at her with a mix of curiosity and concern. He was completely unaware how much his support had meant to Ino lately. With Chouji having to take responsibility as the Akimichi Clan head, she didn't see her two best friends nearly as much as any of them would like. Even so, Shikamaru had effectively been an older brother figure to Ino for as long as she could remember, and she would always be grateful to him for it. For a horrifying moment, she wondered if he'd been disappointed in her plataeu in growth. Was he only taking her out in pity? She didn't want to ask, but knew that the question would eat her inside if she didn't. Tentatively, she turned to face the lazy man, softly asking a question that she dreaded the answer to.

"Shika?" She began, catching his attention. "Do you think I'm lacking as a kunoichi? Am I a disappointment? Please be honest with me." To say he was stunned would be an understatement. If it wasn't so troublesome, he'd have wished to be able to read her mind, to understand where the hell that question had come from. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her so open, so...

_'Vulnerable.'_ The brunette concluded mentally. His lack of response was causing Ino to grow uneasy, and he could practically see the conclusions she must've been drawing. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Shikamaru sighed.

"Of course I don't think that. Woman, I've been stuck with you for what, almost twenty years? If I thought you were a bad ninja, don't you think I'd have said something?" The answer seemed almost evasive, and Ino visibly tensed, forcing Shikamaru to try again. "Look," he began, gazing at her seriously. "You've got to be one of the strongest kunoichi I know, and lord knows how troublesome Tsunade-sama and Temari are." An awkward smile came shortly after, as he reached into wallet to pay for their meal. "Keep up the hard work, I'll catch you around."

And with that, he left her to her thoughts.

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><p>"What the fuck, Sakura!?" Screamed a panicked voice. Said voice belonged to none other than Uzumaki Naruto, Sakura's sparring partner (victim) for the day. The jinchuuriki was gesturing dramatically to what little remained of a tree, the devastating force of the kunoichi's fist having obliterated all but a chunk of splintered stump. The medic only scoffed.<p>

"Oh please, I've hit things harder than that." She defended, crossing her arms sternly. Naruto only stared, mouth agape.

"My fucking head was there. Right. Fucking. There." His dramatic emphasis was completed by his wildly flailing arms, indicating the spot roughly where her fist had been aimed, and where an innocent tree had once stood. Blowing a lock of pink hair from her sweat-soaked brow, she rolled her eyes, turning on her heel.

"Oh fine, cry like a little girl why don't you." She muttered, stalking off. It was no secret to the people who interacted with her daily that she'd been in a rather sour mood for the past couple weeks. Sakura's penchant for violence seemed to have worsened, and her patience had all but disappeared. If she was to be honest with herself, she'd admit that she'd notice the change in her attitude, but had no idea why. Naruto's very loud, and very inappropriate guess of it being "That time of the month" had landed him in the infirmary with a cracked jawbone.

Jesus. She was pissy. But why? The antsy pinkette would've loved to know the answer herself. In the meantime, she had an appointment to keep.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, she found herself in front of a door that she'd entered many times. After knocking politely, she heard the familiar voice of the Hokage beckoning her inside.

"Sakura." She greeted warmly, gesturing for her to sit with a small smile. The younger woman complied immediately, returning the smile, albeit a bit forced. "Thank you for being on time. I've always appreciated your punctuality." Most shinobi would've swelled with pride at being complimented by the Hokage. Instead, Sakura tensed. She'd been training under the monstrously powerful woman long enough to know that unexpected compliments were always used to soften the blow of what was coming next. And damned if her hunch wasn't spot on.

"Wellll..." Tsunade drawled out, finding a tactful way to present her news. "As my student, you've had an advantage that not a single one of your peers can claim. Therefore, in regards to your request for promotion to Jounin, some...amendments need to be made to the normal prerequisites." She paused there, gauging Sakura's reaction before continuing. As it was, Sakura seemed calm, with the minor exception of her twitching brow. "Anyhow, I consulted our dear Kazekage on this, considering he had to do the same for his siblings. I think we managed to come to a reasonable promotional exam. It's simple really, a headhunt." Listening patiently, Sakura nodded for Tsunade to continue. No way in forty-two hells was it a "simple headhunt".

"Considering your talents, I think this will be both a good opportunity and learning experience for you." This was it. Tsunade was clearly approaching the climax of the assignment, and her overly cheery smile was a clear effort to curb whatever anger may erupt in the near future.

"You'll be in a special two-man squad to capture a missing-nin that has been hiding out somewhere in Sunagakure." Sakura's knuckles were practically white with anticipation. She knew that it was either the target, or her teammate that was supposed to be the kicker, and she waited for the hammer to fall with baited breath. There was a small instant where Sakura almost thought she was going to be assigned to capture Sasuke, but quickly shook the thought from her head. That'd be insane. It wouldn't matter who she was paired with, there was no way they could possibly succeed in that mission. Still, the seed had been planted, and now Sakura began to feel her stomach begin to rise in her throat anxiously.

"You'll be briefed on the target once you arrive in Suna. You and your partner will be departing early tomorrow morning, so please rest up." Before the pink-haired medic could say anything, Tsunade glanced at a non-existant watch on her wrist, muttering something about being late to something before dashing off. A low growl rose in Sakura's throat.

She hated cliffhangers.

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><p><strong>And there you have it, Chapter one of "Attraction". Again, I'd really love some feedback, even things like grammarspelling issues. (Spellcheck can only do so much, and proof reading the same thing ends up making you blind to certain mistakes...Oh! And I also have a habit of answering questions that are asked in the reviews. If it has a spoiler though, I'll PM the answer instead. So yeah, toodles!~**


	2. Mission Start - A Dangerous Prey

As Sakura stared incredulously at her partner in the grey dawn, she came to understand two things. The first, being _why _her sensei had been so evasive. The second, was why she had been so pissy. The moment that she'd seen the impassive visage of Ino at the village gates, an uncomfortable heat flickered within her. It was a strange mix of frustration, annoyance, uncertainty and confusion. Her longtime friend had been acting weird lately, and had been freaking impossible to find for the last few weeks. And as she approached her, the other kunoichi had given her a look of complete disinterest. It was unexpected, to say the least.

_'What the hell has gotten into her...'_ Sakura wondered, opening her mouth to ask if everything was alright. Ino's curt voice cut her off as she started heading outside of the gate.

"Let's not waste any time." Sakura almost had to jog to keep up, and once they'd broken the treeline, she had to put legitimate effort into keeping pace with Ino as she sailed through the trees, her blonde ponytail whipping behind her wildly. Despite her brusque behavior, the young Yamanaka felt a sharp jab in her gut with each indifferent action, and a dull ache with every cold word. She quickly realized that it was painful to be so distant to the woman she considered to be her best friend. Unfortunately, her pride was too strong to let her be herself with the other kunoichi; she was determined to once again be on equal ground as Sakura.

The only thing that she couldn't entirely figure out, were her feelings. She understood the pride, of course. She'd be damned if she'd just lie down and accept that Sakura was better than her. To hell with that. She even understood the pain; after all, she was feeling unworthy of her closest friend. Still, something seemed to nag a bit deeper than that, but she couldn't tell what. It was almost as if the blonde was feeling dependent on Sakura's approval. She almost snorted at the thought.

"As if I give two fucks about her approval." Ino muttered darkly. Speaking of the devil herself, a flash of pink caught her attention as she realized that Sakura had heard her murmur, though she couldn't make out what was said as she closed the gap.

"What was that?" She inquired, sparing her teamate a quick glance. A short huff escaped Ino's lips.

"Nothing, Forehead." This answer only served to tick the medic off, though she said nothing.

This was going to be a long trip.

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><p>"Kazekage-sama? Is everything alright?" A meek voice sounded out in the silence of the imposing office of Sunagakure's leader. Dark-rimmed eyes shifted between the speaker and the window, while the redheaded male tried to find the words to express his thoughts. Finally, he seemed to settle on something.<p>

"I'm concerned for the two kunoichi from the Leaf." He said simply. Gaara's tone was as it always was: Soft, serious, and free of any emotion. He was more than aware of their target, and as much faith as he had in the strength of Konoha's finest, this wouldn't be an easy task for them by any measure. The soft howl of wind began to pick up outside the office, as the sun started to descend beyond the horizon. Soon, his precious village would descend into the darkness of night.

The forest of Konohagakure was eerily quiet at night, that was for certain. Ino had taken the liberty of arranging their bedrolls, as well as some safety precautions while her partner was gathering firewood. Pleased with her defensive perimeter, she was glad that she didn't have to wait long for Sakura to return. She knelt to the makeshift fire pit, arranging the kindling. The pinkette had moved to grab two sticks, intending to use them to spark the fire.

"Don't bother." Ino's voice halted her actions, and she reluctantly obeyed the blonde's gesture to back away. A few quick seals later, and Ino had expelled a small flame from her mouth, igniting the wood. Sakura could only blink.

"Oh. I...oh." She was speechless. Since when had Ino learned any fire jutsu? She was completely oblivious to the small spark of pride that her teammate had felt at her stunned reaction.

Impressed or not, Sakura was quickly starting to lose patience with Ino's attitude. She didn't even do anything!

_'Whatever her issue is, this is bullshit. She can't just be a bitch to me for no reason.'_

"Alright, Piggy. What's the big deal?" For a moment, Ino thought she meant the jutsu display. It soon dawned on her that she was referring to Ino's recent behavior. Arms crossed defiantly, the Yamanaka heiress turned her face away in indignation.

"Tch. I don't know what you're talking about. Can't you just be grateful we have a warm place to sleep?"

Wrong answer.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched, and she looked like she was about to yell at the pigheaded bitch, or at least call her as such. Instead, the intensity of her mood smoldered into a harsh emerald glare, one that almost caused Ino to flinch.

"Whatever. It's not like I care." Christ. That was one hell of a cold tone. Silently fuming, Sakura pointedly turned away from her, crawling into her bag and remaining silent for the remainder of the evening.

_'You know, being an insufferable bitch is going to make being "best friends" pretty fuckin' hard if she can't stand you by the time you catch up to her.' _She hated how right her conscience was sometimes. Although from the pang of hurt she was feeling as she lied into her own bag, Ino had little doubt in the tiny voice. She couldn't tell which was worse: Being an unworthy rival on good terms, or a worthy rival whose guts Sakura hated.

Neither option sounded pleasant to her. Mercifully, she didn't have to think long on it, as sleep claimed her soon.

A bloodcurdling scream, followed by a small quake in the ground woke Ino up instantly, setting her on high alert. When the sleep faded from her senses, the blonde could see Sakura standing near a sizeable dent in the ground, tense and wide-eyed. Her mind hadn't even begun to process the possibilities of what the hell was going on_, _when a tiny movement caught her eye. Soon, the form of a medium-sized spider skittered harmlessly away from the small crater, fleeing from the wrath of the pink-haired titan.

"A goddamn _spider!?" _The blonde screeched suddenly. Ino didn't even take a moment to appreciate the fact that Sakura's sleeping reflexes could still dent the earth, she was more in shock that she had gone that far for a bug_. _"For Christ's sake, woman, can you NOT give me a heart attack because of a shitsucking _spider?!_" If any animals had been sleeping in the vicinity, they certainly weren't anymore. That woman was _loud. _Even so, it failed to elicit a response from Sakura, who simply ignored her, packing her gear and preparing to continue their trek to Suna.

Oh yes, this would be a _very _long mission.

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><p>"Uh..."<p>

"What is it?"

"I...uh...think we're under attack by zombies."

"..."

Kankurou raised his hands in a defensive gesture against the harsh glare from his elder sister, knowing phyiscal harm usually followed such a look. "N-No, seriously!" he sputtered, pointing desperately to the two figures entering the gates of the sand-swept village. They shuffled in almost lifelessly, one of them moaning something incoherent.

"See!? It just said 'Braaaainnssss'" The puppeteer made his best zombie impression, holding his arms out stiffly for added effect. A swift smack to the head made him drop the charade.

"She said 'shower', dumbass. Some of us aren't exactly thrilled to go three days without bathing." Temari gave the back of her neck a quick scratch, before going to greet the two Konoha kunoichi. She gave a mock look of disappointment, her attention on Ino.

"Aw, no Nara this time?" The sand Jounin actually had the gall to pout, patting her stomach gently. "I'll be damned if he waits until I pop this thing out before visiting."

Silence.

Ino was just...there wasn't a word for it. "Shocked" did it so little justice that it should be illegal just to use the term. Her face had blanched, and she sincerely looked ready to faint. Even Sakura had been completely unprepared for that.

The raccuous laughter that erupted from Temari's lips soon had her doubled over in hysterics. The dumbstruck look on the petite blonde's face had been just so _perfect. _

"Oh, h-holy shit. I-I'm actually tearing up." She muttered in a mirth-laced tone, wiping at her eyes. It was a wonder she had been able to even complete her sentence. The color had begun to return to Ino's face, and thensome. A nice shade of red was taking over, embarassment and anger both flushing her features.

"Wait! That was a _joke!? _You bitch! What kind of twisted sense of humor do you have!?" The blonde Chuunin was getting prepared for one hell of a rant, but Sakura interjected.

"You..._are _joking, right?" For whatever reason, she'd felt the need to clarify. After all, she'd never explicitly admitted to it being a joke. And when Temari pursed her lips to seal the laughter threatening to spill out, it was becoming harder to tell if she was laughing because her joke was so funny, or because she was genuinely enjoying the reactions to her big news.

Perhaps most infuriating, was when she simply walked away, chuckling to herself. Kankurou must have sensed an impending pursuit, because he shook his head, gesturing for them to follow him. "Not so fast blondie. Gaara needs to brief you on the mission details. You can go all baby-hunter on her later." Ino gave him a look that made it clear that she was going to get the answers she wanted; if not now, then later. So both her and Sakura obediently followed the Jounin through the dusty village streets, all the way up to the Kazekage's palace. During the trip, neither ofthe kunoichi could help but notice the thick air of tension as they walked. Civilians, vendors, performers and shinobi alike all seemed to be surrounded by an aura of anxiety.

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><p>"The room is secure, Kazekage-sama." Gaara nodded to his assistant Ayumi, who flushed slightly as she left the Kage's office, allowing the people inside their privacy. Sakura, Ino, Gaara and Kankurou were all seated in the small office. All eyes were on Gaara, patiently waitng for him to being the briefing. A few more moments of silence passed, before he reached under his desk, pulling a scroll from a satchel and handing it to them.<p>

"This is the dossier on your target. It has all of the information we know on him." He paused a moment, frowning. "Unfortunately, there isn't much." Sakura raised an eyebrow. He wasn't kidding, they didn't even have a name to go off of. Only a rough sketch, a log of sightings, and a messily incomplete list on observed jutsu. The only thing that gave them any sort of clue was his former affiliation.

_'Kumogakure, hm?'_ As the pair went over the scroll, something else stuck out to the pinkette.

"Kazekage-sama? This man has an excessively high bounty - In fact, I don't think I've ever seen one this high." Gaara nodded gravely, gazing out of the window for a moment.

"Yes, it is. In fact, it is currently the highest bounty in the entire Wind Country." This made both girls snap to attention. They were hunting the most-wanted missing-nin in the entire Wind Country? Just what the hell had they been signed up for?

_'And what on Earth could he have done...' _As if reading Sakura's mind, the redhead cleared his throat, taking a moment to choose his words carefully.

"This shinobi is the man who assassinated the Daimyo of the Wind Country, Watanabe Gin. Our investigtion has revealed some rather shady secrets, that are presently resulting in more questions than answers. At the moment, the only motive we can assume for a Kumogakure deserter to target the Daimyo is a personal attack. We discovered that Watanabe-san had personally funded ethically questionable experimentation for Kumo's Reasearch and Development department." It was no secret that the mountain-based cloud village had an affinity for kekkei-genkai, particularly doujutsu. Sakura recalled the kidnapping incident where shinobi from Kumo abducted a Hyuuga, in order to obtain the Byakugan.

"As I'm sure you noticed, Sunagakure is in a very tense state of affairs. At this point, we aren't unlike a pack of wolves with a slain alpha male. Civil war is a very real possibility, and one we want to avoid at all costs." The gears began turning in the medic's head while she processed this. Ino, on the other hand, shot out of her seat.

"Pardon me, Kazekage-sama, and I mean no disrespect, but are you fucking _high!?_" Well, that did a good job of halting Sakura's mental gears. Instead, her mouth was slightly agape at her partners' outburst. In his seat to the side, Kankurou tried his hardest not to fall out of the chair in laughter.

"I mean Jesus H. Christ! Sakura and I are just two Chuunin! How the hell could you _possibly _expect us to not only _find _this assassin, but to _capture _him? This is so unfair! For fuck's sake, all Shikamaru had to do to become a Jounin was host the Chuunin exams one year; yet we have to take on an assassin capable of taking out a to mention one that may have a fucking _kekkei genkai!?_" Ino's brazen display of foul language and poor tact would've likely given the Elders a heart attack. Sakura wasn't sure anyone had spoken like that to any Kage, ever. Luckily, Gaara didn't seem at all perturbed by the outburst.

"Haruno-san, you've trained extensively with Tsunade-sama. I have much faith in your abilities. I'm also no stranger to the talents of the Yamanaka clan. Not only this, but we don't have many options. Everytime we seem to close in on his position, he seems to get away, despite our stealthiest efforts. However, we have reason to believe that he will be present at Sunagakure's annual Bando Festival. There will be a large number of important politicians from Kumogakure there, and the massive crowds make it the perfect environment for an assassin with unfinished business. Currently, I've sent several shinobi to the Raikage to follow leads on clans with missing members; Unfortunately, it's incredibly unlikely that they'll return before the , your mission is to gather as much information you can on his whereabouts. If that cannot be done before my squad returns, then you'll be inserted undercover as festival goers, to try to prevent him from doing whatever he's planning. In the meantime, lodging arrangements have been made for you at the nearby inn. Understood?"

Before Ino could say anything else harmful, Sakura's hand had covered her mouth swiftly, dragging the protesting blonde away with an embarassed bow. "Yes, Kazekage-sama."

And with that, the two women (Only one voluntarily) exited the mansion, heading toward their quarters.


	3. Arrival - A Chance Encounter

It was only because Ino hadn't wanted to attract attention that she had allowed Sakura to drag her through the crowded streets of the village. At least she had been decent enough to drag her by her wrist instead of her mouth. Then again, two women hurrying hand-in-hand down the street wasn't the least attention-grabbing scene either.

"Ah, you must be the guests from Konohagakure. Welcome to Sunahime, the epitome of comfort and hospitality here in the sand. Please enjoy your stay!" The woman behind the smiled, tucking a strand of blue hair behind her ear before holding out their room key. Her nametag read "Kimiko" in flowery script. Sakura paused only long enough to flash the woman a quick smile, grabbing the key and dragging the irate blonde upstairs. She'd apologize later.

Like a proper volcano, Ino chose the most opportune moment to erupt. Namely, after they were in their room and the door was shut behind them. At that moment, Ino forcefully yanked her hand from Sakura's.

Well, she tried. See, Sakura wasn't really expecting Ino to play nice, and was holding on with a rather firm grip. And Ino, not being completely weak, may not have been able to break the medic's adamantine grip, but she certainly succeeded in yanking the other kunoichi's body into her own. The impact sent them both solidly into the wall - A few inches to the side, and the doorknob would _not _have been Ino's friend. For a moment, they were too dazed from the collision to understand their situation entirely.

Ino was the first to notice. Sakura's body was pressed flush against hers, and the blonde was becoming increasingly aware of each and every contour of it. A foreign heat began to stir in her belly, which only seemed to grow stronger as the light scent of cherries wafted to her. That's when Ino became aware of the _full _situation. Her rivals face was exceedingly close to her own, and ironically, her forehead was the least of her focus. Emerald and Sapphire seemed to lock, as if they were wrought in a battle to prove which gemstone was more brilliant. She concluded that the cherry scent was from Sakura's lips, which glistened ever-so-slightly with the dull sheen of lip balm. Neither seemed to be able to move, or comprehend what was going on, or _why _neither of them moved. Two deer caught in eachother's headlights.

"Um...S-sorry if I'm interrupting..." The sound of Kimiko's voice forcefully pulled the pair back to reality, separating instantly as if the other was highly toxic. Both heads whipped to the intruder, and the poor girl looked ready to faint from embarrassment. She squeaked something along the lines of "You forgot these", motioning to the civilian clothing that they were to be provided. As soon as she handed the bundle over, Kimiko fled. Quickly. Neither Chuunin dared look at the other, and they seemed to be having a competition to see who could be the darkest shade of red; Hinata would've been proud.

Ino was so flustered that she could barely think. _'What the hell just happened...? And what the hell was that feeling? _It was heavily different than the feelings of embarrassment or pleasure she was accustomed to. She knew what arousal was, and that felt nothing like it. _'Well, not NOTHING like it...' _She shook her head, in both an attempt to banish that thought and reduce her redness. _'I've been stressed out of my mind for the last month, haven't had any sort of release, and I just finished walking for three days straight. I'm just fatigued, that's all..' _Her delicate lips turned into a small frown of contemplation for a moment, and she was so absorbed in thought that she almost didn't notice Sakura opening the door to leave.

"I'm going to go out and get some things; maps, some supplies and whatnot. Can you stay here? I don't want to have to go looking for you when I get back." Instead of a snarky retort, Ino simply nodded, deciding that she'd use the opportunity to shower - lord knows she could use one.

* * *

><p>The sand-swept streets of the village were a contrast to what Sakura was used to, but the change in scenery was nice in its own way. The afternoon sun felt warm and pleasant on her skin, a different heat than she had felt at the inn. <em>'Oh my Goddd. That was so freaking awkward.' <em>The pinkette tried to push the thoughts to the back of her head, figuring Ino had more than likely already forgotten about it. If she had been paying more attention to where she was going, she might've avoided walking smack into someone and sending them both flat on their asses upon the dusty ground. "Ow..." Sakura rubbed her backside in discomfort, before the realization that she had just barreled into some poor stranger snapped her attention to the dark-haired woman who was also recovering from their collision.

"I-I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Her first day in Sunagakure, and here she was knocking down random civilians. Oh yes, that's _exactly _what Tsunade would want to hear. The other woman opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by another female's harsh voice.

"What are you, blind? Watch where you're walking!" Jade eyes turned to the source of the angry words, meeting the sharp amethyst glare of an unfamiliar woman. Accident or not, and despite who was responsible, Sakura was _not _about to be spoken to like that. She shot a glare back at the rude girl, before standing up and offering her hand to help the ravenette up.

"I really am sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Please, forgive me." Sakura finished with a small bow. The dark-haired woman placed a hand on the head of the livid one, rustling her light brown hair playfully.

"Temper, temper." She chided, before smiling softly at the embarrassed Sakura. "It's alright, accidents happen afterall." She was rather tall for a woman, particularly one who appeared to be rather young, perhaps early to mid twenties. Ebony hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, contrasting nicely with her light skin. She wore a gray kimono that was accented with green, and her presence radiated relaxation and calmness, the opposite of her shorter friend, who was still cooling off from her earlier outburst. She had plainer, more tomboy-ish features than her counterpart, though she was still rather pretty. Her violet eyes remained trained on Sakura's, before she huffed lightly, shaking her head in annoyance.

"Whatever. Let's just go." After growling out her short sentence, she stalked off in the direction the pair had been heading. The taller woman only smiled once more before heading off after her. Sakura was just grateful that Ino hadn't been there to make her feel even more incompetent. Thankfully, the rest of her outing went off with no incidents.

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><p>By the time she returned to the inn, it had grown late. The desert sky was splashed with a cacophony of purple, orange and red, creating a mosaic that signaled the end of another day. Sakura was relieved when Ino made no comment about her lengthy errand; in fact, she said nothing at all. The Yamanaka was busy writing in what appeared to be a journal, and was dressed in what must've been the nightwear that they were provided. Sakura had to admit, the modest shades of brown that coloured the gown-like garment looked rather nice on her teammate. She inwardly groaned, having to once again force herself to forget the earlier incident. "I brought back some supplies, I think it's best if we start canvassing tomorrow, don't you think?" For a moment, the only sound that filled the room was a scratching of Ino's pencil against paper; eventually she paused and raised her gaze to meet the pinkette's.<p>

"Sure." And just like that, she resumed her writing as if Sakura wasn't even there.

* * *

><p>Sakura gazed longingly at the thousands of silver stars that covered the night sky, seated comfortably on the sandy earth. The desert evenings were a breathtaking sight to behold. After showering and changing into her civilian clothing, Sakura had decided against hanging around the room for the time being. She would've been content to just read in the lobby, but Kimiko insisted that she see the view from the bluff near the village gates. Sitting out in the brisk desert air, she felt herself sink into her own thoughts.<p>

Sasuke. It was possible, no matter how unlikely, that they would run into him during this mission. If that time came, she wasn't sure how she'd handle it. It was true that she no longer held any optimistic fantasies about the Uchiha coming back to Konoha. It was clear that his heart was far too steeped in darkness to allow that. Sakura's own heart wrenched at the thought. Her friend and lifelong source of affection had turned his back on his friends, and his home. God, she was so weak back then. Unable to do anything other than cry when he left, and continued to cry helplessly when things became to much. Her hands unconsciously tightened around the sand beneath her. _'But no longer. I'm stronger now.' _

And then there was her blonde, beautiful and pissy-as-of-late teammate. Whatever had happened to Ino's mood, hadn't gone away. She couldn't understand the constant air of hostility that seemed to surround her friend, though she had come to accept whatever it was had started to bother her deeply. Sakura frowned slightly, thinking back to their check-in at Sunahime. _'And whatever the hell that was...sure didn't help.' _The medic had long since accepted her sexuality; as the years went on she had come to realize that Sasuke had been a childish infatuation, exacerbated by her rivalry with the aforementioned blonde. Even then, she refused to believe that there was even the slightest chance that her childhood friend could stir those types of feelings in her. It was ludicrous. It was ridiculous. It was impossible. It was-

"My, my. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that there are others who enjoy the view from here." Sakura snapped out of her musings, looking behind her to search for the source of the voice. The lax, inviting and familiar tone that it held made her feel as though she didn't need to be on guard, despite her instincts telling her otherwise. The silken fabric of a silver yukata glimmered faintly in the starlight, catching her attention. The ravenette woman that she had (quite literally) run into earlier sat beside Sakura, offering a small smile. "There are those who believe that the stars hold the answers to life's questions. Whether or not that's true, is yet to be determined. I still find it very calming to watch them; they help me think." Her attentions turned from the sky to the leaf Chuunin. "It's a pleasure to see you again. What brings you here?"

Sakura didn't know why, but she began to feel a creeping sense of familiarity, and not just because she had seen her only a few hours ago. Something about this woman made her feel as though she was talking to an old friend.

"I'm not sure, honestly. I came out here at the recommendation of an innkeeper. And now...I'm just reflecting on things." She was answered with a deep, feminine chuckle.

"Yes, the stars tend to have that effect on people. It's funny. As much as I absolutely adore a starlit night, it always makes me feel incredibly vulnerable." Jade eyes glanced over at the woman in curiosity, so she continued. "Ah, I only meant that it can be rather intimidating. We're less than dust in comparison to the scale of the heavens. To know that we're so small in the grand scheme of things; it's very humbling." The two sat in companionable silence for a while, appreciating the glittered beauty of Suna's night sky.

"Shi-chan? Is that you?" The silver-clad woman smiled at the voice.

"Aye, Miko-chan. Come, meet my new friend." The newcomer obliged, tentatively joining the two women on the bluff. In what little light there was, Sakura almost mistook 'Miko-chan' for a boy, before she caught a good look at her face; it was the hothead that had been accompanying the other woman. Her short, light brown hair didn't help her case of mistaken gender, though the light purple yukata helped tell the difference. The pinkette looked back to the older woman, whose chestnut eyes were fixed on her. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners. This is Mikoto, and I am Yoshika." Her introduction held an unkown weight to it, and the older woman seemed to be waiting for a reaction of some sort. After what felt like eternity, Sakura gave a small, genuine smile.

"It's nice to meet you both. I'm Haruno Sakura." She went to continue, but stopped short when she felt a slight prickling sensation on her calf. She swatted her leg, but felt nothing. _'Stupid desert mosquitoes.' _ Mikoto seemed to be sizing her up, noting her uncommon hair color.

"Sakura, hm? Pretty fitting. Shi-chan, you really have a habit for finding the odd ones." The Chuunin felt a flare of indignation that was quickly snuffed by a delicate hand on her shoulder. Yoshika gave her a reassuring pat, before scolding Mikoto.

"Now now, be nice. I have a feeling that Sakura could be a nice friend to have while we're in town, don't you think? In fact, how about this." Yoshika stood, offering her hand to Mikoto, who took it immediately. "Tomorrow, we're having lunch at the Genkitora restaurant near the center of town. We'd like you to join us." Sakura realized that this would be a good opportunity - If these women weren't natives, then she would be able to interact with them without raising suspicion. She accepted the offer, and made plans to meet at Genkitora shortly after noon. The duo bid her farewell (Mikoto reluctantly), before she headed back to Sunahime.


	4. Developments - A Lunch Break

**I completely forgot to do this in Chapters 2 & 3, but I want to give a special thank you to touchmegently ^_^ Thank you for reviewing me so far! **

***Ahem* With that out of the way, at the end of each chapter I'm just gonna define some terms that some people might not be familiar with - Yay for clarity3**

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><p>That night, Sakura returned to find Ino already sleeping, nestled comfortably under the luxurious bedding provided by Sunahime. For the first time since their mission had begun, Ino's face held no trace of anger, stress or hostility - it pained Sakura to know that the only time her friend was peaceful was when she slept. <em>'I wish you would at least talk to me...y'know, like how we used to? No matter what it was, we could always rely on eachother to listen. Oh, Ino...'<em>

She made sure to be as quiet as possible while she changed into her nightwear, depositing her day clothes in the room's laundry basket. That was the easy part. The harder part of course, would be slipping into bed without waking her highness.

_"Oh my God Sakura, quit being such a prude. Haven't you ever had a sleepover before?"_

_A ten-year-old Ino rolled her eyes at the girl who was standing nervously at the edge of her bed, looking wholly uncomfortable with the current situation._

_"Well...no, but I mean..."Sakura trailed off, searching for a way to justify not wanting to share a bed with her friend. Ino huffed in annoyance, chucking a pillow right at Sakura's forehead._

_"Then sleep on the floor, little miss uptight - I'm going to sleep." She left no room for argument as the light clicked off. Sakura muttered something under her breath, begrudgingly climbing into the bed to join the young blonde. She'd never admit that it was one of the best nights of sleep she'd ever had._

Getting under the covers slowly, a small smile found its way to the pinkette's face. Instead of feeling sad, the fond memory only made her more determined to get their relationship back to the way it was; without all of the animosity, secrets and awkwardness. The mission would come first, but Sakura fell asleep with a secondary objective in mind.

* * *

><p>When it comes to plans, there are two kinds of people. The first kind are those who are adaptable, and embrace change. Even a hitch or a bump is a welcome challenge. The second kind are the ones who were seated in front of the Kazekage, listening with anxious ears as Gaara informed the pair of the latest developments in the mission.<p>

"We've received some information that should help you in your task." The sand user shifted his eyes between the papers on his desk and the leaf kunoichi that had been called to the mansion that morning. "Witnesses questioned at the scene of the attack were unable to give a clear description of the assassin; nothing clearer than 'young male'. However, many people reported seeing a foreigner with black hair in the area. I know it isn't much, but I know that Haruno-san is intelligent; there is still time for you to figure this out."

Though she said nothing, Ino was livid. _'Are you fucking kidding me? Does he think I'm stupid? It's __always__ Sakura this, Haruno-san that, Tsunade's pupil this, UGH. Am I going to have to single-handedly capture a fucking international assassin just so I can measure up to the world's largest st forehead?' _The roots of frustrated envy were entrenching themselves deeper into her mind, souring the affection she held for her best friend. Sakura was in an equally tense state of thought, oblivious to her teammate's ire.

_'This isn't looking good...If this person has a kekkei genkai, possibly a doujutsu? It...it really could be him...' _She couldn't believe it - no, didn't _want _to believe it. The information they were going off of was vague at best, but the pieces all seemed to fit together. After making an attempt on the life of the fifth Mizukage, the fourth Raikage and succeeding in killing Danzou Shimura, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume Sasuke Uchiha would target other political figures. Gaara observed them wordlessly, letting the information sink in.

"Shortly before you two arrived in Suna, I increased the number of surveillance units in the village. Should an incident happen before, during or after the festival, I believe it's best that we have as many eyes and ears available. I don't have anything else for you at this time, so you are free to leave. Good luck." Still wrapped up in their individual thoughts, the pair bowed before heading for the exit.

"Oh, and Haruno-san? Try not to knock over anymore civilians."

Sakura left the Kazekage's mansion red with embarrassment; Ino left green with envy.

* * *

><p>As much as she wanted to, Ino didn't explode when Sakura told her that she'd have to leave her for the second afternoon in a row. Instead, she questioned what the pinkette was doing that didn't involve her, and how it was relevant to their mission. Sakura dodged the question, giving a vague reply about 'following up on a lead'. The Yamanaka was in no way pleased with this response, but couldn't afford to make a scene. Civilians and Shinobi alike walked the streets, carrying on with their daily schedules under the blazing desert sky.<p>

"Ugh, you are so full of shit forehead." Ino spat out. "I'm sick of waiting around for you like some stupid puppy while you go running off to do God-knows-what in the middle of the fucking desert! You're not my leader, I shouldn't have to be your freaking sidekick and sit back while you just do our whole damn mission on your own!" A strangled noise that sounded like a mix between a screech and a sigh was made before she shook her head in annoyance. "Whatever, do as you please. I'll be back _before _sunset, like a responsible teammate." And with that, she turned on her heel and left Sakura standing in the middle of the street, feeling like a complete ass.

When Ino was certain she was out of view, she slipped under the awning of a merchant stall, taking refuge from the heat and squinting to find the faint trace of pink in the sea of browns, yellows, blacks and whites. If Sakura wasn't going to tell her where she was going or what she was doing, then Ino would just have to find out herself.

* * *

><p>Genkitora was a quaint little cafe, located in one of Suna's less busier districts. Never too busy and never too sparse, the restaurant was a popular choice for those who yearned for the dining experience without the hustle and bustle. Three women sat at a booth near the back, enjoying a modest meal.<p>

"So tell me Haruno-san, what brings you to Sunagakure?" Yoshiko stirred her miso soup while Mikoto watched with disinterest. Sakura glanced out the window. The pain from Ino's earlier outburst hadn't numbed, and the guilt was starting to eat at her - ironically her appetite was missing. Would the tension between them ever be resolved? Or was this the beginning of a rift that would only grow larger? Yoshika seemed to sense her discomfort, and her eyes softened. "Haruno-san? Is everything alright? You seem a bit...preoccupied."

"Hm? Oh, I'm so sorry!" Sakura's face burned with embarassment. "I'm here with my friend for the Bando Festival. We're flower merchants, hoping to secure a contract with some of the local businesses." The lie came out easy, as had all of the other cover stories Sakura had rehearsed throughout her career as a kunoichi. Still, part of her felt ashamed for lying to Yoshiko; the woman had been nothing but kind to her since their rather...sudden encounter. Mikoto's interest had shifted to the window; she seemed to be more interested in the passing foot traffic than their conversation.

"That sounds wonderful! Flowers are such a beautiful thing, aren't they Miko-chan?" When Yoshiko received no reply, she rolled her eyes and continued. "I know, she's such a people person right? So, about your friend - tell me about her! What kind of person is she?" Yoshiko's chestnut eyes twinkled with earnest curiosity, and Sakura found herself answering before she could stop herself.

"She's...well, she's my best friend. We've known eachother since we were kids, and we've been through everything; hell, even fought over a boy back at the academy." She paused to laugh lightly, thinking back to their adolescent rivalry. "She can be uptight at times, of course. Not to mention bitchy and quick-tempered to boot. But she's always been there for me, y'know? We've been through hell and back...and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have gone through it with. Just to see that cocky smile of hers..." Sakura's voice trailed off, her tone becoming melancholy. "But lately, things haven't been the same. Things have just been so tense...It's like every little thing seems to set her off, and it's always directed at me." She was surprised to find a lump forming in her throat, but she forced herself to swallow it. There was no way she could cry in front of these two. "I just wish things could go back to the way they were..."

The strain in the pinkette's voice resonated in Yoshiko's chest. _'This girl's heart is in such turmoil...' _Before Sakura could open her mouth to apologize for dampening the mood, Yoshiko's lips broke into a grin.

"Hey, here's an idea..."

* * *

><p>From her vantage point, Ino lied prone on the roof of a small shop. "This is what was so important? A freaking lunch date? I swear to God, Sakura of all the selfish bullshit you've pulled...Fuck!" Her leg jerked at a sudden, sharp pinching sensation. She looked around, but saw nothing except for debris - until a small flicker of movement caught her attention. "Ugh, disgusting bugs!" Ino muttered, glaring at the small creature skitter away. Ignoring the dull sting in her thigh, she returned her attention to the trio inside of Genkitora.<p>

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><p><strong>That's chapter four! Reviews make <strong>**me smile and encourage me to continue, so please don't be shy! Again, big thanks to touchmegently!**

**Some terms:**

**Kunoichi - Female Ninja**  
><strong>Kekkai Genkai - Bloodline Limit (Sharingan, Byakuugan, Boil Release, etc)<strong>  
><strong>Gakure(suffx) - denotes a village (Sunagakure = Hidden Sand Village)<strong>  
><strong>Sunahime - Sand Princess, Sunagakure's luxury inn<strong>  
><strong>Daimyo - Leader of a nation; Unlike the Kage, these are civilian politicians of the highest ranking in their respective country<strong>


	5. Mediation - A Concerning Morning

**Ready set go, it's Chapter Five! Some of you might have noticed that I finally fixed that horrible formatting issue I had with line breaks (God it looked so bad). But yeee, let's see what happens next yeah?**

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><p>Sakura was trying her hardest to make conversation, but Mikoto was not making it easy. It had turned out that Yoshiko's brilliant "idea" was to have the brunette escort Sakura back to Sunahime, to give them a little time to get to know eachother better. Mikoto didn't seem pleased at the idea, but didn't object; and as much as she wanted to, Sakura couldn't say no without drawing at least a little suspicion. So the two soon found themselves walking in awkward silence down the sand-swept roads of the village. The lack of verbal communication <em>did <em>give Sakura time to think about how she was going to smooth things out with Ino, and move forward with their mission.

_'I'll just apologize. I mean, I'm not even sure what I did to make her so mad at me, but I want us to be able to work together. I want her to be happy.' _It had been hard on her dealing with the amount of animosity that the blonde had been charged with lately, and her nerves we beginning to wear thin. She wasn't sure when she'd go from feeling guilty to snapping, but didn't suspect that it'd be long. The sound of Mikoto's footsteps stopped suddenly, drawing her attention to the young woman who was staring absentmindedly at a vegetable stall. Or more accurately, a small spiderweb that was nestled in the upper corner. Sakura was going to ask what she was looking at, but was cut off by Mikoto.

"Haruno-san?" Her voice was quiet, but not quite soft. Even now it held a bit of the brash tone she had used when the pinkette had collided with Yoshiko yesterday. "What do you think...of spiders?" Well, that was an odd question. Jade eyes blinked, unsure of what to say. Spiders were gross, right? Just hairy little creatures that were good for nothing other than scaring the shit out of unsuspecting people. Mikoto didn't wait for an answer, continuing in that odd tone of hers. "I think that they're misunderstood. Carrying a stigma because people are afraid of such harmless and intelligent creatures. All they have to do is simply look different - strange - to others, and they're labeled as disgusting, or worse." An image of Sakura's favorite knucklehead flash in her mind. _'That's how it was for Naruto...treated differently because of something he couldn't even control.'_

"Have you noticed how intricate a spiders web is? Each is unique, like a fingerprint. It's a silken piece of art with the tenacity of much less delicate material." The web on the stall seemed like every other spiderweb she'd seen. But the more Mikoto spoke, the more she found herself tracing each strand with her eyes, trying to take in the details that the other girl was seeing. An unfortunate insect buzzed a little too close, and found itself helplessly bound to the lacey prison. A small, knowing smile appeared on Mikoto's face. "A lot of people wonder how insects flying into something they should be able to see coming. The truth is, spiders are masters of electromagnetism. They have an extremely keen sense of the earth's magnetic fields." She pointed to the fly that struggled in vain to free itself. "Even their webs have magnetic properties. When a bug gets too close, the negative charge of the web responds to the positive charge of the fly, and the attraction pulls the web toward the prey. Even if they could see the web, and know that there's a trap nearby, it doesn't matter - the beauty is in the traps ability to spring itself."

Sakura was astounded. Both at the knowledge Mikoto held on the subject, and the unique qualities of spiderwebs. Is that what Mikoto did for a living? Study spiders and other insects? She couldn't help but wonder. That seemed to be all the brunette had to say, as she wordlessly resumed walking in the direction they were headed, forcing Sakura to get a move on as well. While the rest of the trip was silent, it was no longer awkward. Mikoto's little insight made her feel as though there was no bad blood over yesterday's incident, and that she was willing to share things with her. It was a relief to know that at least two people in Suna weren't going to bite her head off without warning. When they reached Sunahime, Mikoto looked at the inn with curious amethyst eyes. She probably hadn't been expecting such a grand place.

"Well, we're here. Thank you for escorting me, Mikoto-san." For a moment, Mikoto didn't respond. Then she gave a small smile.

"Of course. I'm sure we'll see eachother soon. Take care, Haruno-san." And with that, she turned to leave, disappearing into the sea of bodies that made up Sunagakure's civilian populace.

* * *

><p>Ino said nothing when Sakura returned to their room. The moody Yamanaka had decided not to confront her, or else she'd know about her personal "surveillance". There was a palpable silence as Sakura seemed to be looking at nothing in particular, before her attention fell on Ino. The second those brilliant green eyes fell on hers, they softened; Ino was taken aback. Sakura walked over to her and took a seat next to her on the bed.<p>

"Ino, I know you're probably mad right now, but can we talk?" There was nothing accusatory in Sakura's soft tone, only pure earnest. It took a good amount of willpower to snuff out the pang of guilt that welled in her stomach. She nodded, not sure what to expect. A weight settled onto her shoulder as Sakura leaned on her. She certainly wasn't expecting that. Nor was she expecting the familiar yet foreign warmth that spread throughout her body, exacerbated by the return of the wonderful, cursed smell of cherries that seemed to accompany the pinkette.

"I'm sorry, Ino. I'll be honest, I don't really know why you're angry with me. But whatever I did, I didn't mean to! You're my best friend, and I hate how much tension there is between us right now..." Sakura sighed, closing her eyes. "I know I've been ditching you and I'm sorry. I met some nice people, and you're right - I was selfish. I shouldn't have left you to spend time with two random strangers in Suna. It's just been rough, having your best friend seem to hate your guts, y'know? I felt that if I gave you some space, things would cool off. I guess I was wrong, huh?" Her voice cracked a little, but she pressed on. "You'll forgive me right? Ino?"

Cerulean eyes widened, sparkling with unshed tears. Ino had no idea how much she had been hurting her best friend over something so petty and insignificant. _'Is your pride really worth this?' _She asked herself. _'Are you happy? The whole reason you've been doing this is because you felt like she didn't need you around anymore, and here she is pouring her heart out to you.' _The guilt was overwhelming, and a single tear slid down her porcelain cheek, landing silently onto Sakura's rose-colored locks.

"I..." Where was her voice? What was she even supposed to say? "God, I'm such an awful person. Sakura, I've been a horrible friend to you lately. The truth is, I was jealous. Jealous that you always seemed to stand out more. Jealous that by the time we were Chuunin, you were the Hokage's pupil and I was trimming flowers. Jealous that no matter what, I can't seem to catch up to you." The tears were flowing freely and Ino didn't care. She owed it to her friend to tell her this. All of the bitterness over the past week was spilling out of her, and it felt good. "I was sacred. I...didn't want you to wake up one day and realize you didn't need me anymore. That I was too weak to be your rival, your friend...your anything." Silence. Seconds passed, feeling like hours as neither said anything, still absorbing what had been confessed. Ino's heart dropped into her stomach when she felt Sakura shaking next to her. Had she made it worse? Was Sakura crying now?

Laughter. Uncontrolled, unexpected and borderline hysterical laughter bubbled out of the pinkette's lips. Quicker than she could react, Ino felt Sakura squeeze her in a heartfelt embrace.

"Piggy-chan, you idiot! You're my best freaking friend. You're practically my everything!" Ino's chest swelled with emotion. She wasn't sure if she was going to cry, laugh, smile or scream. It was an overwhelming and unfamiliar surge of feeling that she had never felt before. But one thing she knew for certain was that she was relieved; she wasn't going to lose her friend.

"Forehead?"

"Yeah?" Sakura pulled away from the blonde to look at her curiously.

"You're getting my shirt all wet." She chuckled, and got a playful shove.

* * *

><p>Sunagakure's nightlife was very unlike Konoha's. Whereas the leaf village was active with entire districts lit up with activity, Suna was dark and quiet. It was a stark contrast, and really highlighted the difference between the two village's cultures. Was it the long history of conflict that plagued the sands? Or had Konoha become sheltered in the years of peace? Whatever it was, it was clear that suspicion was cast on people seen milling about in the twilight hours. It was because of this that Sakura and Ino exercised the utmost caution as they surveyed the area from their vantage point of Sunahime's roof. With the Bando festival in less than a week away, they were determined to be as prepared as possible for whatever might come their way.<p>

Sakura chuckled a little as she pointed to a random rooftop. "Hey, remember that time Lee got drunk and started singing on top of the restaurant?" Ino grinned.

"And it took Neji, Kiba and Naruto to wrestle him down from there? Oh God that was hilarious." She shook her head in mirth at the memory. Good times. They had been positioned on the roof for a couple hours now, taking in as much detail as they could. It would've been helpful to have Hinata with them; the Byakuugan would've made picking out suspicious characters much easier. "So, about these people you were with..." Ino had to be cautious, or she'd risk revealing her earlier spying. "Did you talk to them about anything that could help us?" Sakura shook her head.

"No, it was honestly just chitchat. It's nice to be in a different village and have more than just your squad to talk to - feels less like we're three days away from home." Sprawled out beneath them, Suna was tinted with the midnight hue of the night. It dulled the usually vibrant browns and yellows that gave the village its daytime splendor. "Hey, maybe you'd like to meet them? We're probably going to run into them at the festival."

Ino hummed in thought. She just might take her up on that offer.

* * *

><p>"This is just like the sleepovers we used to have back at the academy."<p>

The two women were lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and talking about anything and everything that came to mind. It felt good to be able to breathe without inhaling a lung full of tension. Ino's blonde hair was unbound from its usual ponytail, and covered almost half of Sakura's pillow.

"Nah, remember? Back then we would spend an our arguing over which one of us was going to marry _Sasuke-kun_." Ino put a sickeningly sweet emphasis on the Uchiha's name, in mockery of how infatuated they used to be. The mention of Sasuke brought Sakura back to the possible reality of their mission.

"Hey...Ino? About Sasuke...do you think he might have something to do with this?" She realized it probably sounded ridiculous but as her partner Ino needed to know all of the possibilities. "I mean, this is what we know. We know this person is strong, and we know that they assassinated Watanabe Gin, the Daimyo of the Wind Country. Do you remember when Hinata told us about the kidnapping? Kumo has a history of going to extreme measures to get their hands on powerful doujutsu...What if one of them crossed paths with Sasuke? The Sharingan is much rarer than the Byakuugan now...aren't Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke the only ones still alive who have it?" Sakura gave a heavy sigh, rolling over to face Ino. "And we don't have much to go on description wise, but a foreigner with black hair? It all just seems too coincidental."

Ino was quiet for a moment, deep in thought over her friends' words. There was a rustling noise as she rolled over too, tentatively reaching out to place her hand on Sakura's. It wasn't easy to see in the darkness, but her fingers still managed to find the soft warmth of the stray appendage. "I have to admit...when you put it like that, it seems possible. I never even considered that he could be the one behind all of this. But..." She gave Sakura's hand a small squeeze. "We're kunoichi of Konoha, and he isn't. No matter what happens, we'll do what we have to in order to complete our mission. Even if it means we have to take him down." The conviction in her voice surprised the pinkette, she had never known her will was so strong - it made her feel reassured.

"Damn right! Now let's get some sleep. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

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><p>When Ino woke up, she knew right away that something wasn't right. She was hot, much hotter than she should've been. A weak groan escaped her lips, and as she tried to sit up her stomach protested violently. "Ohh...I think I'm going to be sick..." She blinked and immediately regretted it, the fluorescent lighting was much too intense and gave her an instant headache. "Sakura?" There was no trace of the other woman. From the bathroom, Ino could hear the sound of running water. Ino took a deep breath and tried to will away the intense nausea that was swirling around inside of her stomach, but to no avail. Several minutes passed until the water stopped, and soon after Sakura walked into the room.<p>

"Ino? Are you okay? You're completely flushed!" One hand gripping the towel around her body, she rushed over to the bed and placed the back of her hand against Ino's forehead. Her eyes widened. "Oh Ino, you're burning up!" The suffering blonde opened her eyes again, meeting the concerned emerald gaze of her best friend. Sakura was wearing only a towel, damp hair framing her face as she hovered over her. In her pained delirium, all she could see was a fuzzy image of pink, green and white. What was going on? And what was the smelling? The scent of Sakura's cherry shampoo was overpowering her senses, bringing with it a sense of yearning and familiarity. All she knew was that her body was in turmoil, and the person above her represented comfort. Ino reached forward, her hands lacing themselves behind Sakura's neck. "W-what are you-mmph!" She was cut off mid-sentence as the fevered girl pulled her down, forcing her face into the pillow next to Ino. There was a wave of warmth and comfort that overcame the Yamanaka as she buried her face into Sakura's neck. She was scared, she felt weak. She didn't know what the hell was happening to her and was desperate to keep her only source of security as close as possible.

Concern, confusion and something else knotted in Sakura's gut. Something was definitely wrong with Ino. Was she sick? _'Of course she's sick, but from what? Did she eat something spoiled while I was gone?' _It was getting harder to think with her body pressed against Ino's, especially in her state of semi-undress. She tried to ignore the sense of longing that bubbled up as she pulled away, instead focusing on figuring out how to help the poor girl.

"Sakura...my leg hurts..." Ino's broken whimper was sending Sakura's concern into overdrive, pushing her into a medic mindset. She looked down at her loose orange nightshirt and cotton shorts, suddenly grateful that she wouldn't have to strip her.

"I'm going to change really quick, okay? I'll be back to check out your leg, just stay put and try to relax." A few minutes later, Sakura returned wearing a pair of dark mahogany pants and a tan vest. She pulled a chair up to the bedside. "Alright Ino, I'm going to take a look at your leg, but you need to show me where it hurts." Ino mumbled something incoherent, placing a hand limply on her upper thigh. "Alright, hold still." Gently, Sakura slid the fabric up a few inches. Compared to Ino's rising temperature, Sakura's hands were cool and refreshing against her skin; a small moan of appreciation leaked out.

The sound caught Sakura off guard. _'Did she just...oh!' _The displaced shorts had revealed a rather nasty looking bite - two small puncture marks were surrounded by deep purple and blue bruising; it was a wonder no pus was leaking out. _'She must be having a bad reaction to this bite...Jesus there must be some some terrible insects out here.' _A soft blue light cloaked the medics hands as Sakura imbued her palms with medical chakra. She concentrated, feeling the familiar flow of energy transfer from her hands to the wound.

"That feels...so nice..."

Sakura was having a hard time focusing with Ino's moan-laced voice ringing in her ears, but was relieved to see the irregular coloration returning to a more healthy shade. _'But it's not closing completely...what kind of bite is this?' _It was ten minutes later when she was finished. The bruising had lessened considerably, but the puncture site had refused to close completely. "Ino? How are you feeling?" No response. "...Ino?" Sakura stood in mild panic, before realizing that she had fallen asleep. _'She must be tired from the fever. It's probably best to let her rest for now, at least until the fever subsides.' _Though she was still worried, Sakura knew that all she could do now was wait for Ino to wake up.

"Oi, Piggy-chan. You sure know how to scare the shit out of me." She muttered, disappearing into the restroom. Returning with a damp washcloth, she placed it onto the sleeping blonde's forehead. For now, she would wait patiently for Ino to wake up.

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><p><strong>Yayy, another chapter done. I realized the last one was a little horter than normal, but I hope this one is long enough ;~;<strong>**As always, I love reviews! And thanks to the reviewer who pointed out my little summary bug!**


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